Racking mechanism for knitting machines



May s, 1928. 1,669,032

M. ZlMlTZ BACKING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed May 10, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

May 8, 1928.

. M. ZIMITZ BACKING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 10, 1927 llllllll f IN V EN TOR.

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. May 8, 1928.

M. ZlMlTZ BACKING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed May 10, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR.

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and of knitting the operation of racking needle plates is well known.

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Patented May 8, 1928.

STATES anna PATENT OFFIC zunrz, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

anemia nEcHAmsia r011 mirrme macnmas.

' application filed May 10, 1192?. Serial No. 190,175.

in chines.

beenpertormed manually and by power as s the case might be. The first movement which is usually called opening the needle plates, does not always accomplish the desired result, because it a machine is very clean, the

pull of the yarn on the needles will be strong enough to maintain the needles in knitting position and the opening move ment will simply cause the bed to slide underneath the needles. Again, if the needles in the one bed plate are actually moved away with the bed from the other bed plate, the weight of the lmitted fabric is often strong enough to cause the first named needles to pull the needles in the second bed plate out of their result of in either brealr when the second plate is racked.

in order to eliminate these objectionable features it is the oloject of my invention to grooves and the intended the opening will not he obtained.

provide a novel and improved racking mechanism whereby, instead ol opening the needle platesythe needles themselves in the one stationary plate are retracted or maintained in retracted position while the other needle plate is racked or shifted longitudinally of the first needle plate. 1

A further object of my'invention isto provide means racking mechanism automatically. Other objects will appear as this specification proceeds; Accordingly my invention is embodied in a racking mechanism as hereinalter set .forth and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. in which:

cams for case the needles will catch and for operating my improved Fig. l is aplan view of a knitting machine provided with a racking mechanism embodying the invention, parts being broken away and parts omitted.

Fig. 2 is a right machine looking in 2 in Figure l with hand end view o1? the the direction of arrow parts omitted.

till

ltig. 3 is detailed view of parts of the operating means for accomplishing the raclring operation and looking in the direction of arrow 3 in Figure l.

l igs. at and 5 shown in Figure Fig. 6 is a detailed view showing racking operation. iv

Fig. 'Z is a transverse sectional view of the needle mechanism, showing the needles racked position. i v Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the carriage showing the cutaway portions of the needle permitting the operation of the novel racking means.

lFig. 9 is an end view ot the lower of the carriage looking in the direction at arrow 9 in Figure 8.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 denotes the general framework of the machine which supports carriage rails 2 and 3 on which the carriage at is operated lengthwise of the machine by means oil a. connection '5 secured to an endless chain (at which runs over sprocket wheels 7 The connection 5 slides on a suitable 'lhe sprocket wheel 8 is carried lay a short shaft 10 driven by suitable transmission mechanism 11 from a driving shafi l2operated by a belt 13 from a motor 14:. i

The needle plates 15 and 16 are mounted in the upper part of the frame l. The needles 18, see Figure 7, are operated inthe usual manner by needle jacks ill in snitahle grooves in the needle plates @ne of the needle plates, in this instance the front plate 15 is stationary on the machine. The other needle plate 16 is adapted to be racked, that is shifted longitudinally by the following means, see Figures 1, 3, t and 5. 9n machine, Fig. l there is suitably mounted on are detailed views of til dill

the right hand end ot the cally disposed 'cured a ratchet 22, a needle opening cam 23 and a racking cam 24.

The ratchet 22 is in the form of a disk having six' pins 25 adapted to be engaged by a awl 26 which is reciprocated by any suitab e means such as a link 27 pivoted to an eccentric strap 28 driven by an eccentric 29 on a shaft 30. The latter is rotated by suitable gearing 31-32 from a shaft 33 driven by a belt 34 from the aforesaid shaft 12. As the shaft 30 rotates, the ratchet 22 is operated stepwise to rotate the vertical shaft 21. 35 is a stop dog engaging the.

ratchet pins 25 in the usual manner.

The needle opening cam 23 has six summits 17 and operates an arm 36 pivoted at 37 to the frame 20. The free end of the arm 36 is pivoted at 38, Fig. 1, to a link 39 pivoted to a needle opener 40.

The needle opener 40 is in the form of a thin blade of steel which lies ontop of the needle jacks and parallel with the usual rail 41 which keeps the jacks and needles in position. The needle opener is attached to said rail 41 by pivoted links 42, 42 and is normally held against said rail by a spring 43.

The racking cam 24 is triangular in form or has three summits as shown and operates between two cam rolls 44 secured to the underside of a rackin bar 45 secured to the needle bed 2 at 46. The numeral 47, Fig. 3, denotes a lifting lever which is pivoted at 48 and carries a pin 49 extending under the pawl 26.

The relation between the operations of the carriage 4 and the shaft 30 is such that the shaft makes two revolutions for each stroke or course of the carrier; During the operation of the machine, when racking is not desired, the lever 47 is maintained in lifted position and thereby lifts the pawl 26 away from the ratchet 22 and the shaft 21 is not operated. When it is desired to rack, the lever 47 is caused to drop and the pawl 26 thereupon engages the ratchet. When the carriage is at the end of its right hand stroke in Figure 1, the pawl 26 engages the ratchet androtates the shaft 21 one sixth of a turn. Consequently, the needle opening cam is also rotated one sixth of a turn and through the instrumentality of the arm 36 and link 39, the needle opener 40 is moved from the position, shown in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 6. The needle opener remains in the latter, open, position for a moment only while one of the high points of the opening cam 23 moves along the arm 36, see Fig. 4. In other words the movement of the needle opener 40 is very rapid and it is snapped back into normal position very quickly y the spring.

While the needle opener 40 is opened and closed, the needle bed 16 is racked due to the turning of the needle opening cam 24 which causes shifting of the racking bar 45 attached to the needle bed 16.

An inspection of Figure 7 shows, that when the needle opener 40 is moved into open position, it engages the jacks 19 and thus opens the needles on the one side of th; machine to permit racking on the other s1 e.

The needle locks or cams 50 on the underside of the carriage are cut away as at 51, 51 to permit the carriage to pass over the needle opener when the latter is closed as in Figure 1.

The racking operation takes place in accordance with the design of the knitted fabric, that is, whenever a rack stitch is required.' A timing mechanism is therefore necessary to control the engagement of the lifting pawl 47, and comprises two endless chains 52 and 53 (a greater number may be used) which engage sprocket wheels 54 and 55 on shafts 56 and 57. The chains are provided with high links 58 at certain intervals depending upon the design of the fabric to be knitted. The two shafts 56 and 57 carry ratchets 59 and 60 which are engaged by pawls 61 and 62 to rotate the shafts and drive the chains. The pawls are pivoted on the aforesaid link 27.

The aforesaid lifting lever 47is' connected by a pin 64 to a lever 65 which is pivoted to the frame 20 and which lies immediately above the first chain 52. A similar chain lever 66 is pivoted to the frame 20 and lies immediately above the second chain 53. The two levers 65 and 66 engage each other as shown at 70, Fig. 2.

It follows, that as the eccentric 29 is rotated, the link 27 is moved toward the machine for each one complete rotation of the eccentric 29 and shaft 30. Consequently the two chain levers or pawl are caused to engage the ratchets 59 and 60 to drive the chains stepwise. When a high link comes under either the lever 65 or under the lever 66, said lever is lifted. If lever 65 is lifted, it will in turn lift lifting lever 47 to disengage pawl 26 from ratchet 22, and the machine will not rack. If lever 66 is lifted by a link on the chain, said lever 66 will lift the other lever 65 and the same result will be accomplished.

It follows therefore that during the operation of the machine, it will rack so long as the chains 52 and 53 pass under their respective levers without lifting them. But that when a high link on either of said chains pass under the levers 65 and 66 respectively, the machine will not rack.

Of course, the parts are so attached and adjusted that the racking of the rear needle bed-'16 occurs and is finished while the opener 40 is opened and closed.

5 it is thought that the foregoing fully discloses my invention. It will be noted the rachng mechanism is very simple in character and easily attached to existing types of knitting machines. It is characterized by the fact that during or at, the time when racking occurs, the needles'on one side of the machine are directly withdrawn from knitting position to permit the needles on the opposite side to be shifted longitudinally of the machine, i. e. racked, as distinguished from the prior art in which the needles on the one side of the machine are withdrawn indirectly in that their support, that is the needle bed is moved, and this latter movement may or may not result in all the needles being withdrawn.

It follows, that with my racking mechanism no means are required for closing the needles, such as is necessary in the prior art. In the present instance the needle remains withdrawn after the racking operation. but inasmuch as the movement of withdrawal is very slight, the needles and their jacks are in position to beengaged by the carriage locks movement thereof.

gain. it will be noted that when racking in accordance with this invention, there 'is no transverse movement of the one needle bed, consequently there is no bodily transverse movement of the knitted fabric which hangs below the machine in the usual manner. hence no tendency for the fabric to pull the needles out of their groovesin the bed which is racked. The needles therefore cannotcatch.

It will further reference is made herein to a fixed or stationary needle bed, such terminology is with reference only to the racking mechanism. As is usual with knitting machines of-this type. the front needle bed is movable for the purpose of setting up the machine, but such movability has not reference to this invention.

In this disclosure only so much of a knitting machine is shown as is necessary for understanding the invention, and the illus trations are not to be construed as limiting the invention to any particular type of knitting machine. It will also be apparentand within the intended scope of the invention and claims and my racking mechanismmay be used on either or both sides of the ma chine. if desirable.

I claim 1. A racking mechanism for knitting machines having a.pair of cooperating needle plates comprising means for moving one of said plates longitudinally with respect to the other plate and means for moving the needles in said other plate laterally with re- .spect to both of said plates.

the racking operation or cams on the following stroke or for moving be i understood that when 2. A racking mechanism for knitting machines having a pair of cooperating needle plates, one of which is stationary re ative to the other, comprising means for moving the needles in the one stationary plate in a direction away from the other plate means for moving the other plate longitudinally of the said first plate.

3. A rackingmechanism for knitting machines having a pair of cooperating needle plates comprising means for moving the needles in the one plate bodily with respect to said plate and in a direction away from the other plate and means for moving the other plate longitudinally of the said first plate simultaneously with the said movement of the needles.

4. A racking mechanism for. knitting nia chines having a fixed and a movable needle plate comprising means for moving the movable plate longitudinally with respect to the plate and means for moving the needles in the fixed plate laterally with respect thereto in a direction away from the movable plate. 5. A racking mechanism for knitting machines having a pair of cooperating needle plates comprising means for mov the one plate longitudinally of the other plate and means for simultaneously therewith moving all the needles in the other plate laterally away from the said one plate.

6. In a knitting machine, a pair of cooperating needle plates, needles in said plates, means formoving one'of the said plates-longitudinally of the other plate and means all the needles in the other plate simultaneously in a direction away from the said first plate while the said one plate is moved longitudinally.

T. In a knitting machine a racking mechanism comprising a pair of cooperatin needle plates, needles in said plates an means for moving in one operation all of the needles in the one plate away from and toward the other plate without moving the said one plate.

8. In a. knitting machine a crating needle plates, actuating jacks in said plates, a racking mechanism for said machine compris' means for moving one of said plateslongrtudinally of the other plate, a needle opener mounted on said other plate, means for operating said opener to engage the said needle jacks to move all the needles in the other plate in a direction away from the said one plate and means for disengaging the opener from the said jacks.

9. In a knitting machine in combination a pair of needle plates, needles and needle actuating jacks in said plates, a carri adapted, to move longitudinally of said pair of coopneedle plates tooperate' the jacks therein to actuate the needles for knitting operaneedles and needle tions, a racking mechanism for said machine comprising automatic means for Shift ing one of said plates longitudinally of the other plate at the end of a movement of said carriage in one direction, a needle opener mounted on the other plate, automatic means for operating said needle opener to engage the needle jacks in the other plate to open the needles therein simultaneously with the shifting of the said one plate and l. automatic means for moving said needle opener away from the said jacks before the said carriage commences its movement in the opposite direction.

MICHAEL ZIMITZ. 

